Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Mail>Art.Consortium was a postal art project that ran from 2000 through 2001. The goal was to provide its members with an outlet for a more entertaining means of staying creative aside from their more serious projects. Styles varied. Conceptual work was as numerous as juvenile collage and the best pieces were often those that tested the mailman's endurance via the use of protruding paraphernalia (bottle openers, tin tea canister lids, toys, circuit boards, etc.) Obviously not all of our work actually got delivered but the uncertainty was part of the allure. The pace of the project varied depending on our schedules and the muse was often spontaneity. The only rules were that everything had to be mailed and the recipient had to be surprised by it at their mailbox (no warnings or previews.) The purpose of this online gallery is to share some of our best pieces and perhaps inspire others to adopt this rarified art. As much of the material for our work is sourced from magazines and other materials, we do not reserve any copyrights. The group represented here is no longer active but some members will probably retake the torch sometime in the future and start a new site of their own (in which case a link will certainly be provided on this very page.) As is, the site stands as a fixed museum of our activities from 2000 - 2001. The final 23 pieces were added to the gallery on 1-22-02.